Dibble on Crown Hill

3/22/26 Crown Hill neighborhood

When Sunday afternoon turned out dry and even partly sunny, it was a good opportunity to check out a couple more of my favorite pink streets. Although Dibble Northwest on Crown Hill is a narrow, quiet and somewhat messy residential street (a broken-down basketball hoop has had a prominent spot on the block for years), every spring it turns into a pink fairyland. Not the grand fairyland of Sunset Hill (see tomorrow’s post), but more like the fairy who insists on wearing dirty jeans with her tiara. No matter – the trees are still lovely.

Like the cherries on Capitol Hill, these were not yet at their peak, but they were lazily working up to it. I think the party begins this weekend.

Premature Peeping on Capitol Hill

 

3/21/26 Capitol Hill neighborhood

Although the cherry trees were not quite ready for prime time – many were not even 50 percent in bloom – the hanami energy was high on this sunny afternoon. A regular stop on my petal-peeping tour for the past few years, this residential area of Capitol Hill is relaxed and easy without the mobs of more popular places (like the UW Quad).

I’ve sketched this view with Holy Names Academy in the background at least once before. It’s a lovely domed building, but during Sakura season, it always takes a backseat. One benefit of sketching cherries before their peak is that the buds are a much brighter pink than their petals, so they’re actually easier to sketch with bright pink crayons rather than trying to capture near-white clouds of blossoms.

Overheard, pointing to my Miata parked across the street: “Hey, that’s a little red Corvette!” Excuse me?!

Wet Clay

 

3/20/26 Wet Clay Cafe, Fremont neighborhood

Kim discovered a unique venue in the Fremont neighborhood. In addition to a full pottery studio with classes, Wet Clay offers pottery-painting opportunities to those who prefer not to get their hands yucky. Potters spun their pots while others socialized as they glazed pre-fired pottery. In addition, there’s a café with coffee, pastries and sandwiches. And Urban Sketchers got to sketch it all as we sipped lattes and snacked. An interesting combo of fun stuff, right?

I wandered around the whole huge venue to sketch all the bits and pieces I saw – a potter at the wheel, another patron painting a mug, tools and glazes, and a couple guys just having lunch.

We’ll definitely be back there on another rainy day!

I’m in the ArtSpot Window!

 

What a thrill to see my sketches displayed in ArtSpot's window!

What fun it was to participate as an artist during Art Walk Edmonds! ArtSpot, the art supply store where I’ll be offering workshops this year, invited me to be their featured artist in March by displaying my work in their window all month. As part of that, I was at the store March 19 during Art Walk to chat with customers, promote the workshops, and give casual demos. I sketched a few pets and had a wonderful time meeting people, seeing friends who came by, and of course, talking about art supplies.

(Image from ArtSpot)

Using Derwent Drawing pencils! (Image from ArtSpot)

Some sketches I made as I chatted and "demo'd" (which means trying to talk while I draw!)

My colored pencil workshop promotion next to the 
colored pencil section!

An Old Moleskine

 

3/4/26 photo reference

I’ve lately had less need for my doomscrolling prevention program. It helps that we’ve flipped the clocks forward, and the Big Dark is over. Gloom and doom in the news is somehow easier to bear when there’s still light left after dinner. In a few weeks, I’ll be able to take short golden hour walks again – the best time to simply enjoy walking without a fitness goal or destination.

After being inspired initially by Orla Stevens’ mixed media and other approaches (even imaginative), I seem to have settled into monochrome sketches using Derwent Drawing pencils. It’s the most relaxing and therefore the most direct in taking my mind off whatever unpleasantness it might be occupied with.

3/18/26 photo reference

Trees in the urban landscape from my own camera roll are an easy go-to. But recently I was thinking about all the portraiture I practiced several years ago using Earthsworld’s reference photos. I’m very rusty, and portraiture always includes some tension because I can’t shake the desire for resemblance. But portraiture also offers interesting challenges that continue to captivate me, even if more mental energy is required.

The prompt for portraiture came from the sketchbook I used for these three sketches: a very old Moleskine that contains that weird, heavy, manila-folder-like paper. The first half of the book is filled mainly with portraits I made with ballpoint pen or marker – the ideal media for use on this smooth, strangely water-repellent paper. Since the surface feels similar to Stillman & Birn Zeta, I thought I’d give it a try with Derwent Drawing pencils – and I like it! Those soft pencils seem to glide effortlessly. (My mission to complete partially filled sketchbooks continues!)

3/18/26 Earthsworld reference photo

Skimming the portraits gave me a heavy pang. Dated 2022 and 2023, those portraits were a large part of my original doomscrolling prevention program: Instead of news reports of current events, I was doomscrolling my own anxiety as I taught myself how to navigate caregiving responsibilities. Despite all that is going on in the world now, nothing in the current media gives me as much pain and stress as that period of my life did. Seeing the portrait practice gives me compassion for my former self, and I feel much gratitude.

Boon-Boona Coffee Finally Opens

 

3/17/26 Boon Boona Coffee, Waterfront Overlook

Ever since the Waterfront Overlook opened, it’s been obvious that some sort of venue was planning to move into the new space adjacent to a large area of outdoor seating. The eagerly anticipated venue finally opened: Boon-Boona Coffee, a small local chain focusing on African beans. Roy, Mary Jean and I wasted no time in checking it out. As we’d hoped, it’s a spacious, pleasant venue with excellent coffee and a view of Elliott Bay and Overlook visitors through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Even better, the sheltered outdoor seating is open to the public, so it will be a great location for large USk gatherings when it warms up. I especially appreciate that the patio ceiling is mostly glass, so it still lets in light on overcast days.

On that cold, drizzly morning, I sketched the mostly empty tables outside, wistfully dreaming of warmer days. Halfway through, I regretted taking on the perspective of all those tables and chairs lined up almost in a straight line, but not quite (top of post).

In my sketch journal (below), I relieved myself of the perspective frustration by doing another sketch of the tables and chairs – this time as a blind contour!

After brunch at Pike Place Bar & Grill (end of post), we sneaked in some outdoor sketching at Pike Place Market before the rain returned again. A vintage farm truck had become almost iconic near the information stand behind it. Its purpose is to block auto traffic from entering Pike Place (which is now pedestrian-only except for delivery trucks). At some point last year, the truck had disappeared for a while. I was happy to see that it had returned. If it becomes reliably permanent, it would make a highly visible, easily identifiable “meet here” icon (I’ve always got potential USk outings on my mind).

Pike Place Market entrance

Material notes: Have I said lately how much I love Derwent Drawing Pencils? I may never use graphite again!

Pike Place Bar & Grill

Few and Far Between

 

3/14/26 Maple Leaf

The sketches I make while on my (nearly) daily fitness walks have been few and far between. I was encouraged, though, when I saw that our unexpected snowfall last week didn’t seem to have harmed any of the plum and cherry blooms that are just getting started. Though the temp was only in the mid-40s, I stopped to make a quick sketch to celebrate the victory (at left).

I’ve included sketches here that I made at cafés when I had to duck indoors to warm up before continuing on. Yes, they count, because sometimes I can’t kick my butt out the door unless I promise myself a break along the way.

Sketchbook notes: You heard me muttering recently about wanting white paper as a daily-carry during pink tree season but not wanting to carry a second book, yada-yada-yada. After the small Stillman & Birn didn’t work out, I chose a lavender Uglybook as my next daily-carry. It’s pale enough that pink shows up OK – a good compromise during a precious season. When I go out for serious petal peeping, I’ll bring a larger white sketchbook, of course.

1/23/26 Maple Leaf Park

1/27/26 Green Lake

2/4/26 Maple Leaf Park

2/18/26 PCC cafe

2/19/26 view from Macrina Bakery

3/2/26 Green Lake

3/3/26 Maple Leaf